Non-Academic Accommodations
In addition to Academic Accommodations, St. John Fisher University is committed to providing reasonable and appropriate non-academic accommodations to students with disabilities.
The following information explains the process for requesting reasonable non-academic accommodations (“accommodations”) related to living or eating on campus that cannot be addressed through the standard process of housing assignments and/or campus operations. The goal of these accommodations is to ensure students with disabilities have equal access to and can fully participate in the residential and dining programs. Please visit the Student Accessibility Services website for information regarding academic accommodations.
Living and Eating on Campus
Residence halls are designed to support communal living and shared residential experiences. Because many students live in close proximity, residence halls are active environments and not intended to function as quiet or distraction-free study spaces. For academic needs such as focused or quiet study, the University provides designated study spaces across campus that are better suited to those purposes.
All campus dining locations can provide food options to students with specific dietary restrictions. Students can share their dietary restrictions on the meal plan agreement or through discussion with Fisher Dining management.
About Non-Academic Accommodations
The accommodation process begins with identifying the student’s disability-related needs and determining whether there are barriers to access within housing or dining. Accommodations are considered only when those barriers cannot be addressed through existing housing processes or campus operations. Accommodations are intended to provide access, not meet living style preferences, avoid roommate conflict, ensure academic success, ameliorate a condition, or aid in other aspects of the University experience, such as studying.
Qualifying, Non-Qualifying, and Temporary Conditions
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. The requested documentation must establish all of the following for a condition to be considered a disability:
- Compelling evidence, including treatment history, to indicate the impact of a physical or mental health impairment that limits the student’s participation in a major life activity.
- A substantial degree of functional impairment.
- Sufficient explanation of how the requested accommodation relates to the current impact of the condition.
A diagnosis in and of itself does not automatically qualify a student for accommodations, and not all conditions meet the definition of a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In some cases, alternative reasonable accommodations (other than those requested) may be offered.
Qualifying Conditions
Qualifying conditions may include those disability-related diagnoses that substantially limit a major life activity and cannot be met through current housing or dining processes. Examples may include medical needs that require extensive apparatus, specialized living arrangements, strobe type fire alarm systems, an elevator, or foods to be puréed.
Non-Qualifying Conditions
Although all requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, temporary, non-chronic impairments of seasonal or short duration (less than 6 months) with little or no residual effects that will not substantially limit a major life activity are generally non-qualifying conditions under the ADA. These may include a sprained joint, non-chronic gastrointestinal disorders, a broken bone expected to heal completely, and seasonal allergies.
Temporary Conditions
Generally, students with temporary conditions (injuries) or short-term medical or illness situations are not considered persons with disabilities and do not necessitate an accommodation. Students with a temporary medical condition should review the information about making arrangements for temporary conditions.